A petition to reduce jeepney fare in Region 1 has failed to generate support during a public hearing that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-1 (LTFRB1) presided last Wednesday.
The Alliance of United Transport Organization-Province Wide (AUTO-PRO), a federation of 31 jeepney transport organizations in Pangasinan, filed the petition on behalf of Pangasinan commuters who called for a lower fare due to recent oil price rollbacks.
The petition, however, did not draw support from other transport groups in the Ilocos. Benny Aquino, auto-pro president, later withdrew the petition.
“The increase in oil prices (this month) may repeat in the next weeks thus defeating the purpose of the fare reduction,” Silvino Bermudez, a board member of the La Union Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LUTRAMCO), said.
Edwin Collado, president of Tricycle Transport Micro Business of San Fernando City, cited other costs like spare parts, oil, taxes and penalties, that need to be considered in fare adjustment.
Still in effect is the provisional P.50 cut from the P8.50 minimum fare which was approved January 28, 2015. It covers the first four kilometres of travel. For senior citizens and students, minimum fare remains at P7.
Lawyer Veronica Peralta, LTFRB hearing officer, said the board en banc will issue a recommendation based on the proceedings.
“There is already a petition filed in the central office for the institutionalization of the fare mechanism for fare reduction so in the coming adjustments there is already a guideline to expedite the process,” Peralta added.
Effective Jan. 22, a provisional decrease of P.50 on jeepney fare was declared by LTFRB in the National Capital Region, Regions III and IV. (MCA/JDS/PIA-1, La Union)